In addition to the above, the otolaryngology department offers two very specialized, cutting-edge approaches: laryngeal (voice box) transplants and endoscopic laser with cryosurgery.

Laryngeal Transplants

Marshall Strome, MD, Director of the Center for Head and Neck Oncology and Co-Director of the Head and Neck Transplantation Program and Center for Facial Reconstruction, was the first surgeon in the world to perform a total human laryngeal transplant in 1998. That patient has since regained his voice. Dr. Strome remains one of only two physicians in the world performing such an operation.

This rare procedure may be an option for some trauma patients, for patients who have large non-cancerous tumors in the larynx, or for patients whose laryngeal cancer is cured, but who are unable to speak in a normal voice.

A donor larynx is selected using similar criteria as for other donor organs. After removing the diseased or damaged larynx, the donor larynx is sutured in place, and the blood vessels and nerves are attached. Like other organ transplant recipients, laryngeal transplant patients undergo lifelong medical management, including the use of immunosuppressive drugs to reduce the risk or organ rejection.

Endoscopic Laser Procedures with Cryosurgery

In 2005, Dr. Strome performed the first robotic laser excision of a laryngeal malignancy. Treating early cancer of the vocal cords with a combination of laser resection and cryosurgery (a procedure by which a margin of tissue that surrounds the tumor is frozen to destroy any stray abnormal cells) has enabled patients to retain or to regain their voice without radiation therapy.

Using similar combined endoscopic and cryosurgery techniques, the department also offers less-invasive resections of malignant and benign tumors of the head and neck, larynx, tongue, and throat. This alternative, highly specialized approach can also work well for many cases of stenosis (narrowing) of the airway.

Because this special procedure is less invasive than traditional open surgeries, patients benefit from less post-operative pain, limited and less dense scarring, faster recovery times, diminished complications, and successful retention of the use of their voice.